is local anesthesia okay for this procedure? question for any dental experts

[Anonymous]

I'm having an impacted upper wisdom tooth extracted next week and am planning for local anesthesia only.

Since it was just one tooth the receptionist acted like it was fine to do local, but I'm a little wary. I would prefer local since I think recovery would be easier but wanted to know if this is ill-advised.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

It will be OK.

[Anonymous]

I had all four wisdom teeth removed with local anesthesia. No problems.

[Anonymous]

I think this is more related to your comfort with dental work. I've had several procedures done, including wisdom teeth and dental implant work, with local and I was fine. My husband is a big baby and needed general anesthesia for the same stuff.

[Anonymous]

Ok, I'm going to impart a cautionary tale. My roommate in college had her wisdom teeth out under local. It was a huge mistake and even her dentist said he would not do that again. Unexpectedly she had bad bleeding problems when they removed the teeth. She ended up getting sick and it was a huge mess. She was pretty traumatized.

I had general anesthesia and it was easy. I went in, was out in no time, woke up less wisdom teeth and I don't think recovery time was any different.

My husband also had general anesthesia in his 20's -- I took him. Recovery time was not any different.

Based on the fact yours is impacted I would get general. There's going to be a lot of cutting and digging...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had all four wisdom teeth removed with local anesthesia. No problems.

me 2!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, I'm going to impart a cautionary tale. My roommate in college had her wisdom teeth out under local. It was a huge mistake and even her dentist said he would not do that again. Unexpectedly she had bad bleeding problems when they removed the teeth. She ended up getting sick and it was a huge mess. She was pretty traumatized.

I had general anesthesia and it was easy. I went in, was out in no time, woke up less wisdom teeth and I don't think recovery time was any different.

My husband also had general anesthesia in his 20's -- I took him. Recovery time was not any different.

Based on the fact yours is impacted I would get general. There's going to be a lot of cutting and digging...

Did her dentist do the extraction? That is common in smaller areas but around here an oral surgeon does the extractions. My hometown dentist pulls teeth but I would not be comfortable with that, I'd want an oral surgeon. That may have been the problem with your room mate.

[Anonymous]

Went to an oral surgeon and had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed under local, 2 of which were impacted. I felt nothing and the procedure itself was very short.

I did wear headphones and listened to music at VERY high levels, as to not hear the cracking noises.

[Anonymous]

My dentist strongly advised me to take the general as I am a bit squeamish. Something about the noises, etc, not pain related. Mine are through the surface, not deeply impacted. Unless you are a) not at all squeamish or b) have good reason to avoid GA, I'd do the GA.

[Anonymous]

16:08 again -- wanted to clarify. I mean my dentist strongly advised me to take the GA from the oral surgeon -- he wasn't doing it himself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:16:08 again -- wanted to clarify. I mean my dentist strongly advised me to take the GA from the oral surgeon -- he wasn't doing it himself.

This is just crazy. Seriously the procedure takes maybe 120 seconds a tooth (and mine were impacted). A c-section is far worse than having wisdom teeth removed and we don't even go under GA for that.

This is just a prime example of unecessary health care costs that insurance companies should NOT have to cover.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all - I'm the OP and I appreciate the responses. I am going to an oral surgeon, and he has worked on me before and did a great job.

I am not squeamish. When I got my other tooth extracted it did suck, psychologically, feeling him wrench the tooth out though it was not painful. The ipod suggestion is a good one and I will bring mine.

I really hate the idea of general anesthesia. I would rather go through a few minutes of discomfort and be done with it then to be in a haze the rest of the day. So I think I will ask for local unless he advises otherwise, based on the specific tooth and how difficult it will be.

I am so grateful to have the damn thing out, I can't wait!!! My dentist told me to have it done a few years ago in case it caused problems down the road in my old age, and I'm really not into "preventive surgery" so I declined. But I've been having pain these last few weeks and he thinks it is rubbing against the root of the tooth up there. So out it goes. Thanks again.